John'Verse: To Tell the Truth
by Stolen Childe
Summary: John's old enough to start asking questions, and Dean remembers another little boy who was lost and confused. Does Dean tell the truth? John'Verse Story Twenty. Implied Slash


**Title:** To Tell the Truth

**Author:** Stolen Childe

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Dean, Cas and Sam!

**Rating:** G

**Warnings/Content:** lite angst, implied slash, kid!fic, future!fic, uncertain!Dean, supportive!Castiel, supportive!Sam

**Pairing/Characters:** Dean/Castiel, Sam, mentions of John Tabris

**Word Count:** 1300

**Spoilers:** 5.06 – directly quoted, General

**Summary:** John's old enough to start asking questions, and Dean remembers another little boy who was lost and confused. Does Dean tell the truth?

**Author's Notes:** All right, so I was going through Misha withdrawal and decided to re-watch his episodes. I came across 5.06 and was inspired. Here's Story Twenty (OMG? Really?) of the John'Verse! Feedback is loved and cherished. Please enjoy!

John's Age: 2

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_Yeah. You know, I'm starting to get why parents lie to their kids. You want them to believe that the worst thing out there is mixing Pop Rocks and Coke—protect them from the real __e__vil__. You want them going to bed feeling safe. If that means lying to them, so be it. The more I think about it...the more I wish Dad had lied to us.__ – Dean Winchester, __Supernatural__ "I Believe the Children are our Future."_

**To Tell the Truth**

Dean was sitting very still and very quiet in a chair around the small table in their motel kitchenette. On the bed lay John, tiny two year old body splayed across the mattress taking up as much space as he possibly could. Dean took another swallow of beer and flicked his eyes over to the door as he heard the jingle of keys in the lock. Dean hushed Sam quickly as the taller Winchester came into the room, Castiel on his heels. Sam nodded absently. He would stay quiet, though with how John slept it really wasn't all that necessary.

"You always told me it was impolite and 'creepy' to stare at someone while they sleep," Castiel mused, a small smile on his lips as he waved a hand towards John effectively closing him in a sound proof bubble.

"Yeah well, it's different when you're staring at your kid," Dean said gruffly.

"I see," Castiel replied gentle and amused.

"Still can't get over him sometimes, you know? And I'm afraid too," Dean told the room at large.

"Afraid? Dean you're an awesome dad. You've been an awesome dad since you were like four years old. Believe me, I know," Sam sat at the table as well, his own beer in hand and took a casual sip. Castiel settled against the countertop and watched the two brothers.

"Not what I'm afraid for and I was never your dad," Dean said.

"As good as," Sam shrugged.

"Sam," Dean's tone was gently chastising.

"Okay, okay. Our own dad did the best he could, but it wasn't perfect, at all."

"I know Sam, that's not what I'm trying to say. Just… I wasn't your dad. But I've been thinking, you two remember Jesse?"

"Yes, the abomination child from Nebraska which you two lost," Castiel replied. "He is difficult to forget."

"Hey, now, you didn't help charging in there with a knife," Dean retorted. "He's not caused any damage so whatever, he's probably better off. Just… Sam remember what we were talking about in the Impala?"

"Jesus Dean that was what five years ago?" Sam blinked.

"Seven," Dean replied. "Seven years… I just…"

"Dean, John is in no way similar to Jesse Turner," Castiel said severely.

Dean winced a little, "I know Cas, that's _not what I'm saying_… just remember Sam you said we ruined his life when we told him what he was?"

"No Dean, you said that," Sam shook his head.

"Yeah well, whatever… Whoever said it, what was said holds. I mean I understood then why parents lie to their kids, but now… God, now it's just so different. John asked me some questions today. He asked me why Papa can disappear and fly but I can't. He asked me what an angel was and why Papa was one. Most of all he asked me why I took a knife when he told me there was something in the closet."

"Dad gave me a forty-five," Sam mused.

"Showed me how to make my first sawed-off."

"Joshua told me demons were not allowed in Heaven," Castiel added almost too quietly to hear.

Dean blinked in surprise, "Cas?"

"When I was new to creation, I was frightened that demons would break into Heaven and kill all my brothers and sisters. Joshua took care of many of the young angels in his garden until we were old enough. He told me demons weren't allowed in but gave me my first blade, to help me feel better. I could barely lift it."

"So we all got pretty screwed up then, huh?" Dean shook his head. "What I'm afraid of though is telling John the truth, but I'm just as afraid of _not_ telling John the truth. Sure telling him angels are real is not a big deal, Mom told me that all the time. Tell him he _is_ one? That's an entire different thing and what about all the monsters and demons in the world? I mean like I told Sam that night, you want your kids going to bed feeling safe and if you gotta do that by lying, so be it. I really do wish Dad lied to us more about this shit but at the same time, how is John supposed to protect himself if he doesn't believe in these things that are as real as the three of us to him? What do we do with that?"

"We've never kept it a secret about what I am and what he is," Castiel pointed out.

"No, but we haven't elaborated either. I just remember what it did to you Sam. That Christmas you found out? Would you have rather of known your whole life or would you rather I kept it secret a little longer?"

"I wouldn't let you though Dean, remember? I hounded you until you told me," Sam replied.

"So you wanted to know," Dean observed.

"No, Dean I didn't. I only wanted to know until I actually knew," Sam replied quietly.

Dean snorted to himself, low and bitter, "Funny how that works. Cas man, help me out here. You got just as much say in this as I do. What do we do?"

Castiel leaned more heavily against the counter top and stared at his scuffed shoes for what seemed like ages before he finally looked up again and met Dean square in the eye, "Tell the truth. He has a right to know. He needs to protect himself and perhaps if he learns at such a young age he won't be as fearful of the creatures that lurk in the darkness. Besides, the three of us lying in the past to one another has only ever bred discontent. We should not begin the habit of lying to John."

Everyone winced at the raw truth in Castiel's statement. He was right, lying only ever got them in trouble. Who knows what John would do if he found out later in life? Especially with being so powerful, it would be the teenage rebellion to trump all teenage rebellions.

"If we don't tell him the truth is there a…" Dean closed his eyes and swallowed, "is there a possibility he could turn into what we always feared Jesse would?"

"The Antichrist? Never," Castiel said firmly. "However, we have learned over the years that as much as angels in the past purported to be the 'good guys' that was not always the case. There is a possibility that he would cause great harm if he chose to… lash out at us for keeping this from him. No one in Heaven is clear on just how powerful John may become. A creation like John has never before existed."

Sam bit his lip and looked over at the innocent tiny two year old, unable to imagine him ever wreaking havoc on the world, though Sam was never able to imagine that for himself or Castiel and both of them went down that path, "Though he's half Righteous Man and half Favoured Angel of the Lord. I mean doesn't that make him innately good? Don't you think if you guys just raised him the best you could that he'd turn out all right?"

"Dude, I'm only Righteous according to a bunch of douches with wings and Cas well…" Dean looked away.

"You can say it Dean. It happened," Castiel said quietly. "I nearly destroyed the world."

Dean winced, that was one thing none of them really enjoyed dwelling on or even thinking about. If Sam was feeling more flippant at the moment he would have thrown out a 'Hey, who hasn't?' but that hit way too close to home and Sam couldn't say it.

"Truth then," Dean said quietly. "I'm terrified he's going to hate us for destroying his happy illusions."

"But they are only illusions, Dean," Castiel whispered.

**End**


End file.
